A Near Death Experience
by Artanyus
Summary: After a brutal battle with a demon, Roland finds himself someplace else than where he was only to learn that he should not be there.


Roland blinked against the glaring sunlight. His eyes hurt, as did his head. The earth was scorched, the sun blazing down with such intensity that anyone who dared to stay would be dehydrated in a matter of hours. Picking himself up, Roland could feel the heat, but strangely he was not. He looked around at the empty landscape, trying to find something that would tell him where he was.

"You should not be here," called a voice from behind.

Roland turned around to face the owner of the voice. Standing there was a thin man, with golden hair that was as bright as the sun, reaching down to his shoulders. His brown eyes beheld great mysteries, and belied intelligence beyond that of his appearance. He wore strangely decorated Golden robes, and stood the same height as Roland.

"Not to seem rude, but where am I?" he inquired.

"I cannot tell you that," the man stated. "All I can tell you is that you should not be here."

"Okay, then who are you?"

The man introduced himself plainly, "My name, Roland, is Kronos".

Roland's mouth hung open with the revelation that Kronos knew his name.

"Yes, I know your name, too." Kronos said, beating Roland to the question. "I know more than you can imagine. That is why I know you should not be here. You're time is not up."

Roland was completely lost with the man's comments. "What are you talking about?"

"My job is to keep watch over Time, to make sure it does not get altered by anyone else except Him," Kronos explained. "When Time began, I was tasked with the job to ensure that all of the events that were meant to shape history were not altered, lest everything be destroyed. Therefore, should something not be correct, I am able to correct it, sometimes with some extra help."

"What has that got to do with me?"

"You are one of those people who is not supposed to die until the appointed time," Kronos answered. "You're time is not yet up, and therefore, you cannot die just yet."

"Wait," Roland interjected, "you mean to tell me, that I am dead?"

"Yes and no," Kronos smiled. "You technically did die, but your body still lives on. In your world, you are in a coma, and when we are done here, you will awaken from that coma and not remember me at all."

"Since I won't remember any of this, where are we anyways?"

"We are in the Sands of Time. It is here where all time is kept track of," Kronos stated. "As for the sun, it is just how I prefer it to be, since I am not really human."

"I see, so what are you then?"

"My brood is very unique, and though you wish to know…I cannot tell you."

"Brood?" Roland asked.

"Yes, my brood," Kronos replied, "My brothers and sisters."

Roland looked around, and saw no one else around. He even looked to the sky, but saw clear blue sky, and the sun. He took the man's word and nodded. "Okay," he said. "So when do I go back?"

"If you wish to return you may," the man said. "Right after I do something."

"What is that?"

"You must be cleansed by the fire," Kronos stated.

"What? Cleansed, how?"

"By me," Kronos said.

Before Roland could say another word, the man before began to grow taller, his features changing until he was no longer recognizable as a human, looking like some hideous creature that was a cross between a reptile and a man. A short while later, the man Roland knew as Kronos had changed shape completely, his golden scales gleaming in the light.

Holding a hand up to shade his eyes from the light, Roland beheld something he never imagined. Towering above him was a Golden Dragon. He appeared to be about thirty feet long, and regarded him with his brown eyes, with wisps of smoke drifting out of his nostrils when they flared, while his tail drifted lazily behind him sweeping back and forth across the sand.

_This has got to be a dream_ Roland thinks to himself, _there is no way I am talking to a dragon, they don't exist._

As Roland continues to stare up at the dragons face, he hears him utter words in a language he does not understand. He doesn't dare interrupt the dragon out of fear of angering it now, and lets him speak. When the dragon finished speaking he lowers his head and looks directly into Roland's eyes with one his own. After a moment he draws back, inhales deeply and blasts Roland with searing fire.

Roland recoiled in fear, as the flames engulfed him, but soon he realized they did not burn him in any way. He felt their heat and watched as the world wavered around him before being consumed by fire. The intensity of the fire forces him to close his eyes. Within seconds he feels like he is drifting away, the fire growing weaker in intensity, the light fading into darkness once more, with the sound of the fire being replaced by voices talking and machines operating.

Without warning, his eyes snap open, and immediately close against the blinding fluorescent lights. Slowly, he starts to open them again, groaning slightly as the pain of sore muscles and what feels like a broken leg inform him that he is indeed alive.

"Roland, can you hear me?" Anastasia asks, reaching for his hand.

As soon as he feels her hand in his, he squeezes it and looks up at her and smiles. "Yea, I can hear you."

"Oh thank God, for a while there we thought you had died."

"What would make you think that?"

"If you saw yourself, you would know," Ana replied. "You were pretty beat up, and lucky to have only suffered from a broken leg. But the doctors said you suffered from a very severe concussion. You were in a coma for 3 days."

"A coma?" Roland inquired, remembering the fight he had with the demon, and winced as he recalled the blow he took to the head. He was honestly amazed the demon hadn't taken his head off with the blow, but guessed that between that and his head colliding with the brick wall shortly thereafter was what had done it all. Still, he felt as though something was different. Physically he hurt, but spiritually, he felt lighter.

He regarded his friend's look of concern and smiled again to assure her that he was going to be alright. He wanted to ask, but already knew that she had stayed by him as much as possible, waiting for something, anything to happen that would show he was improving. Today she had that sign, and as visiting hours came to an end, Anastasia kissed Roland gently on the forehead and left for the day, to sleep peacefully knowing that Roland was going to be alright.


End file.
